Expanding the Growers Collective
Izzy Rosado, Program Assistant, Project New Village
The Grower’s Collective is a network of neighbors that are passionate about gardening and growing food for our Southeastern communities. The goal of this project is to create health and wellness in the region, to form a community of practice through urban agriculture.
How exactly do we do this? Project New Village hosts meetings for growers to share information and resources – demonstrating the power in learning from one another. To support our hyper-local food production, we purchase produce from neighborhood growers and provide financial and technical support to those that want to expand their growing efforts (or start growing!).
Karen Wynn found that her macadamia nut trees were producing more than she could harvest. In turn, dozens of pounds would go wasted every season. Now, we are purchasing these macadamia nuts to be sold on the Mobile Farmer’s Market truck, where customers get to put a name to a locally grown food source.
Another proud moment for the grower’s collective includes the expansion of WenMor Urban Farm, where PNV provided support for a tree planting event. Ian Moreland and Nichelle Wentz put 26+ bareroot trees in their backyard to start a food forest in the heart
of Southeastern San Diego.
If you would like to learn more on joining our Good Food District map, everyone is welcome to attend our meetings on the 2nd Saturday of the month at the Mt. Hope Community Garden from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
